With Myopia, you mentioned wanting to write, perform, and produce the album entirely on your own. What was that process like for you, and how did it differ from your previous work with Hundred Waters?
It was a huge learning curve, for sure. I’d say the biggest difference was the amount of time I was able to spend with the music. With the Hundred Waters records, we’d get together and make the songs and work on them together, and then we’d go on tour. There was never really a moment where I could sit with the music and live with it for a while. So, with Myopia, I really got to live with it, and I think that’s why it was such a different process. I had time to let the songs breathe and see what they needed. I think that’s the biggest difference – having time to live with it and see what it needed.
Was there a specific moment or experience that inspired you to pursue a solo project and create Myopia?
I think it was just a natural progression for me. I’d been wanting to do my own thing for a while. I love making music with people, but I also write a lot on my own. I think it was just the right time for me to really push myself and see what I could come up with. I had been sitting on a lot of music that I wanted to put out. It was a lot of different things that came together, and it just felt like the right time.
How did you approach the themes of desire, love, and longing that are present throughout Myopia?
I think those themes just naturally came out in the writing process. I wasn’t necessarily trying to write about those things, but they were just what was on my mind at the time. It was a very introspective time for me, and those themes just naturally emerged in the music. I think it’s always interesting to see what comes out when you’re in that introspective space and really digging into yourself.
Finally, what do you hope listeners take away from Myopia?
I hope that listeners can find some comfort in the music, and maybe a sense of connection. I think music has a way of bringing people together, and I hope that Myopia can do that for people. I also hope that listeners can find a piece of themselves in the music, and maybe a bit of solace in these uncertain times. I think music has a way of healing and bringing people together, and I hope that Myopia can do that for people.
Myopia is out now on Sargent House. You can follow Nicole Miglis on Instagram for updates.
Can you talk a bit about how those recordings influenced the album and your creative process overall?
Field recordings have always been a big part of my process. I’m really interested in capturing moments of life and space. For Myopia, I gathered a lot of recordings in different places – in nature, in cities, in different countries. Those recordings ended up being a big part of the sonic landscape of the album. They added a sense of place and atmosphere that I think really enhanced the emotional depth of the songs. It’s like adding another layer of storytelling to the music. And in terms of my creative process, those recordings really helped me connect with the world around me and find inspiration in unexpected places. They reminded me to pay attention to the details and the beauty in everyday life, which I think is reflected in the music.
Looking ahead, what do you hope listeners take away from Myopia, and what can they expect from your future projects?
With Myopia, I hope listeners feel a sense of connection and introspection. I hope the music resonates with them on a personal level and maybe even inspires them to see the world in a new way. As for future projects, I’m really excited to keep exploring new sounds and ideas. I have a lot of music in the works, and I’m always pushing myself to evolve and grow as an artist. I think there’s a lot more to discover and create, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
I do think about the emotional dynamics a lot when I’m making music. Especially with this album, I wanted to explore the different facets of desire and longing and how they can manifest in different ways. ‘Autograph’ and ‘Lure’ definitely have a more pop-forward sound, but they still have that emotional depth that I was trying to convey throughout the album. I think the mix of electronic, classical, and pop elements really helped to capture that complexity and give each song its own unique feel.
Ultimately, I think it all comes back to that idea of myopia and how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. The different sounds and instruments on the album are just different lenses through which we can view those emotions and experiences. It’s all about exploring those different perspectives and finding new ways to express them through music. Una vez que empecé a coleccionar pequeños sintetizadores y cajas de ritmos para viajar con ellos, es probablemente donde empecé a crear más el sonido que escuchas en ‘Autograph’ y ‘Lure’. No pienso en ello de manera super intencional. En mi mente, todos estos diferentes géneros, música clásica y música de baile, son realmente similares para mí; simplemente existen en diferentes períodos de tiempo. Incluso la idea del tiempo – no sé cómo articular esto y probablemente suene muy místico, pero no pienso en la música clásica como la música del pasado y la música electrónica como la música del futuro. Es lo mismo, simplemente diferentes herramientas. La música clásica – esas eran las canciones pop en ese momento, eran las canciones de baile. La gente estaba bailando vals con esta música en fiestas; tenía un lugar diferente a lo que eventualmente se convirtió en música de museo de arte. Debido a que mi proceso es tan serendipitoso e instintivo, tengo que confiar en que hay una razón por la que esas herramientas están ahí, o que hay una razón por la que agarré esa guitarra o caja de ritmos.
Hablaste sobre cómo gran parte de este disco se trataba de hacerlo tú mismo y tener control creativo. ¿Sientes la necesidad de seguir un proceso igualmente solitario en el futuro, o te lleva a involucrar a otras personas en él?
Creo que me dio una idea mucho más clara de en qué soy bueno y en qué tal vez alguien más podría ser mejor en ciertas áreas. La respuesta corta es no, no estoy interesado en trabajar completamente solo. Lo hice y aprendí lo que necesitaba aprender. Pero creo que el próximo disco va a ser mucho más colaborativo, va a tener mucha más aportación. Porque tengo una idea más clara de mí mismo y de mi identidad en lo que puedo aportar, eso solo hará que la colaboración sea más fácil en el futuro. Quiero abrir ese proceso de nuevo, seguro. Tengo mucho más respeto por el lado más técnico, sé lo que alguien más podría hacer que tal vez yo no pudiera. Estoy interesado en explorar eso más.
¿De qué manera te ha hecho más seguro en ti mismo?
Soy más seguro pidiendo ayuda, porque sé hasta dónde puedo llevar algo, y sé cuánto tiempo llevará. Pero siento que me desafié a hacer este proyecto de la manera en que lo hice, y estoy orgulloso de haberlo hecho. Sé que todavía tengo mucho más que aprender. No diría que el disco me hizo más seguro; abrió tantas áreas donde quiero aprender más. Fue humillante.
Esta entrevista ha sido editada y condensada para mayor claridad y longitud.
Myopia de Nicole Miglis ya está disponible a través de Sargent House.